Caroline backs Small Business Saturday 6 December 2014

Don Valley MP Caroline Flint has joined Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP to promote the contribution of local businesses as part of this year’s Small Business Saturday on 6 December.

Small Business Saturday is a grass-roots campaign that encourages people to shop locally and support small businesses in the local community. Last year it was the biggest celebration of small businesses in the UK and gave a boost to local shops through extra trade of nearly £500m.

Caroline is encouraging businesses in her constituency to take part this year and take advantage of the campaign to focus on small business on a key shopping day in the year in the run-up to Christmas. It also aims to give a long-term boost to trade and give a lift to the high streets.

Said Caroline: “I encouraged people to shop local. Our small shops and independent businesses are vital to the towns and villages in outlying parts of the borough. They are a vital part of our local economy and we need to get behind them. In many towns and villages, small businesses add character and are a source of local jobs.

Last year I backed Small Business Saturday. It was big success and it was brilliant to meet businesses doing a fantastic job. The campaign helped raise awareness of what they do and the choice they bring to our community. We all need to put our hands in our pockets to make sure we back our local businesses. This year I’ll be getting fully behind the campaign again and giving my support to our local businesses.”

Welcoming Caroline’s support for the campaign, Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP said: “Last year when I first called for the UK to have its own Small Business Saturday, I could not have envisaged what we managed to achieve. We helped create the biggest celebration of small business and entrepreneurs that the country has seen and it helped give a boost to their bottom line. We brought together a grass roots coalition including business organisations and local authorities to make it happen.

“On one of the busiest shopping days of the year Small Business Saturday puts a spotlight on the huge contribution of small businesses and encourages people to buy from small shops and independent firms. This year we want it to be bigger and better. Please do put it in your diary.”

The Don valley MP is sending details of Small Business Saturday to local businesses. In 2013, the MP joined shopkeepers in Tickhill to promote the campaign. This year she is visiting businesses in Thorne. For more on Small Business Saturday see https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/

PHOTO: Caroline Flint and Chuka Umunna are backing Small Business Saturday.